Communication of data is effectuated in a communication system between a sending station and a receiving station. Communication of the data between such communication stations is regularly a necessary aspect of modern society. The need to communicate data through the use of a communication system shall also likely continue in the future to be essential. Various different types of communication systems have been developed and utilized to communicate data pursuant to various types of communication services.
With advancements in communication technologies, new types of communication systems have been made possible. That is to say, new types of communication systems have been developed and implemented that make use of such advancements in communication technologies. New types of radio communication systems, for instance, that make use of the advancements in communication technologies have been developed and implemented, and, improvements to existing types of radio communication systems have been implemented that also make use of such advancements in communication technologies.
A radio communication system differs with a conventional, wire line communication system in that a communication path, which extends between the sending and receiving stations, includes, at least along a portion thereof, a radio link. Radio channels are defined upon the radio link, and, at least for that portion of the communication path, that is communicated during operation of the communication system, data is communicated upon one or more of the defined radio channels. That is, a radio link is substituted for a wire line connection, thereby obviating the need for a wire line connection for that portion of the communication path.
Use of a radio communication system provides for various advantages. Initial installation and deployment costs are generally less than the corresponding installation and deployment costs associated with the installation and deployment of a corresponding, wire line counterpart. Also, a radio communication system can be implemented as a mobile communication system. In a mobile communication system, one, or more, of the communication stations operable therein pursuant to a communication session are permitted mobility.
A cellular communication system is a mobile communication system. The network infrastructures of cellular communication systems have been installed over significant portions of the populated areas of the world and are popularly utilized to effectuate both voice and data communication services. Various cellular communication standards have been promulgated, and cellular communication systems that are operable pursuant to various of such cellular communication standards have been installed and implemented. Successive generations of communication standards have been promulgated, and corresponding successive generations of communication systems, have been installed and implemented. Additional, new-generation, cellular communication system standards have been proposed, generally to incorporate improved communication capabilities permitted as a result of communication technology advancements. Installation and implementation of such new-generation systems is anticipated.
The network infrastructures of cellular communication systems include fixed-site, base transceiver stations, positioned at spaced intervals, throughout a geographic area that is to be encompassed by the communication system. Each of the base transceiver stations defines an area, referred to as a cell. When a mobile station, operable in the communication system, is positioned at a location within the area defined by the cell, radio communications with the mobile station are generally possible. Because the mobile station is mobile, the mobile station might initially be positioned in a first cell, referred to as a serving cell, and thereafter moved therefrom. When moved out of the serving cell and into another cell, referred to as a target cell, handover of communication with the mobile station from the base station encompassing the serving cell to the base station encompassing the target cell permits continued communications with the mobile station.
Resources must be available at the target cell for the handover to be successful. That is to say, for the communication service to continue to be effectuated between the mobile station and the network infrastructure of the communication system, an appropriate level of resources must be available for allocation to the mobile station. New-generation, cellular communication systems generally provide for a QoS (Quality of Service) parameter. The QoS parameter defines, according to a quality criteria, a quality level at which a communication service is to be performed. Effectuation of the communication service at a desired QoS level is achieved, at least in substantial part, by allocation of appropriate levels of communication resources to effectuate the communication service. As communication resources available at the target cell might be limited, early reservation of the communication services better assures that the communication resources shall be available to permit continued effectuation of the communication service at a desired quality of service level.
However, early reservations for communication resources at the target cell requires early determination of which potential target cells shall be the resultant target cell at which the communication resources should be reserved. Also, as communication resources might be required to be allocated at successive cells in the path of travel of a mobile station during a communication session, communication resources might well have to be allocated at such corresponding number of cells. A single i.e., one-shot, resource negotiation and allocation might well not be appropriate. A one-shot procedure is unable to take into account changing conditions, and changing resource requirements, subsequent to the single negotiation and resource negotiation.
Any manner by which to predict better the cells at which communication resources shall need to be reserved shall facilitate improved communications, permitting both more efficient allocation of communication resources and improved communications in the communication system.
In light of this background information related to communications in a cellular, or other mobile, communication system that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.